Animated toy



y 1954 N. c. MACE 2,683,954

ANIMATED TOY Filed May 5, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VENTOR NORMAN G. MACE ATTORNEY y 0, 1954 N. G. MACE 2,683,954

ANIMATED TOY Filed May 5, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR NORM/4N G MACE ATTORNEY Patented July 20, 1954 UNETED STAESi ANIMATED TOY ration of New York Application May 5, 1950, Serial No. 160,215

(Cl. iii-d) I 3 Claims.

This invention relates to animated toys, and more particularly to a toy embodying a miniature figure which performs predetermined motions in life-like manner.

It is among the objects of the present invention to provide an animated toy of the class described which performs in a novel and appealing manner, and particularly in association with a toy electric train, although not limited thereto.

Another object of the present invention the attainment of the foregoing advantages in a toy which is entirely automatic in operation.

Still another object is the provision of an antmated toy which is possessed of the foregoing characteristics and which also may be easily and inexpensively manufactured.

The invention, then, comprises the features fully described and as particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description and annexed drawings setting forth in detail, an illustrative embodiment of the invention, this being indicative of but one of a number of ways in which the principles of the invention may be employed.

In said drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the novel animated toy of the present invention, the same comprising an elongate base member with a number of superposed instrumentalities which will be specifically described hereinafter.

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic plan of the operat ing instrumentalities of the toy of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary front elevational view oi the miniature animated figure of the toy of the present invention, illustrating the means which it is supported on the elongate base member and certain of the operating elements for supplyin animating motion to its arms.

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic elevation of the prime mover and driving means for the operating elements of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view illustrating a flexible arm member.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the base member of the animated toy of the present invention comprises a rearward rectanportion i of substantial width which connects with a forward portion 2 having convergent side edges. This forward portion 2 of the base member is provided with an intermediately disposed longitudinally extending slot 3. Flanking this slot 3, and spaced inwardly of the marginal side edges thereof, is a pair of opposed guides a, each of which is shown (in Figure 3) as comprising a strip having a longitudinal slot 5.

2 The miniature animated figure of the present invention is generally indicated at 6, the same comprising a base member 8 which extends across the slot 3 in the forward portion 2 of the base member, the side edges of the base member 8' riding in the oppositely facing longitudinal slots 5 of the opposed guides i.

More specifically the animated miniature figure E is constructed to resemble a workman who performs spiking operations on railroad tracks. The body portion of this workman may be formed of any suitable material from which animated toys are usually made. Extending across the shoulder portion of the miniature animated figure t is a horizontal shaft !2 which is adapted for at least partial rotation and which projects from each side of said figure to carry a right-angularly extending arm member l3; as shown in Figures 1 and 3 the central portion of the horizontal shaft [2 carries a drum or spool-portion it to which there is secured one end of a cord or flexible wire 15.

As shown at the bottom of Figure 1 and the right-hand portion of Figure 2, the base 3 of the animated miniature figure 6 is provided with an aperture is in which there is disposed a grooved pulley 29. The axis of rotation of the pulley 20 is in substantial parallelism with the axis of the horizontal shaft [2 whereby it may receive an intermediate portion of the cord or flexible wire 15.

A grooved pulley it is di posed in an aperture (not shown) in the rearward portion i of the base member with its axis of rotation in parallelism with that of the grooved pulley it. From the grooved pulley 26 the cord or flexible wire iii is directed rearwardly along the underside of the base member and around the grooved pulley 2i. As shown in -Eigure 4, the cord or flexible wire it is directed from the grooved pulley 2 upwardly to and through a suitably supported ring 28 and thence rearwardly and slightly upwardly to a suitable anchoring connection 3E3.

Mounted on the rearward portion 9 of the base member at a point which is below and between the ring 28 and the anchoring connection is a prime mover 3-4, such as a small electric motor.

The rotatable shaft of the prime mover St is indicated at 35 in Figures 2 and 4; and it carries for conjoint rotation therewith a gear 38.

Above the rotatable shaft 36 of the prime mover as there is disposed a parallel rotatable disc 4%, to which there is secured a relatively small gear 42, the latter meshing with the gear 38.

A disc 44 is secured to the rotatable disc to,

and, at a radial position which is between its periphery and the periphery of the gear 42, it carries a stub shaft 46 which is disposed beneath, and adapted for periodic engagement with, the cord or flexible wire [5.

According to the foregoing construction and arrangement, the actuation of the prime mover (or electric motor 34) will cause the stub shaft 16 on the enlarged disc 40 to assume various planetary positions with respect to the small gear 42 to thereby raise and lower the cord or flexible wire 15. This movement exerts an intermittent pulling movement upon the forward end of the cord, which, in turn, causes rotation of the drum or spool-portion l4 and the horizontal shaft l2 to which it is secured, to thereby raise and lower the arms 13 of the miniature figure and release them so that the arms fall by gravity.

It being among the objects of the present invention to cause the miniature figure to realistically simulate a track-workman engaged in a spiking operation, the outer ends of the arms I 3 are joined and the end (Fig. 5) is telescoped into one end of a small coil spring 56; the handle portion of a miniature sledge hammer 52 being telescoped into the other end of said spring.

Upon the operation of the prime mover 34, the sequence of operations is such as to cause the arms of the miniature figure to raise and lower the sledge hammer 52 with respect to the toy railroad track.

Referring to Figure 2, a solenoid 56 is disposed on the rearward portion 1 of the base member with its armature 58 extending forwardly toward the miniature figure; said armature being resiliently held in extended position by a suitable spring 60.

The armature 53 of the solenoid 56 is provided at its forward end with an oifset extension 62 which extends forwardly and is connected to the base member 8 upon which the miniature figure stands.

According to such construction and arrangement, the solenoid 56 may be energized to rear- Wardly withdraw the base member 8 and the miniature figure which is mounted thereon. Upon being de-energized, the armature 5B of the solenoid 53 is pulled forwardly by the spring 60 to cause the miniature figure to assume its original position.

It is contemplated that the prime mover 34 will, during the operation of the miniature animated toy, be driven continuously, while the solenoid 53 will be energized from a remote point as, for example, a switch (not shown) which is disposed upon the track of the toy electric train. With such an arrangement, the approach of the toy electric train may be made to operate the solenoid 56 and thereby cause the backward movement of the miniature figure until the train has passed.

As the miniature figure moves backwardly upon its base member 8, the slack in the cord or flexible wire IE will be sufiicient as to discontinue the aforementioned limited pulling movement which is exerted by the stub shaft 46 on the cord or flexible cord [5. This, therefore, causes the temporary discontinuation of the swinging movement of the arms I 3 of the miniature figure.

As a further contribution towards realism, the mechanism at the rearward portion I of the base member is enclosed by a structure made to resemble a tool house or other building which would normally be used by a track workman.

While I have shown and described certain specific embodiments of the present invention, it will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that I do not wish to be limited exactly thereto, since various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An animated toy comprising a base member adapted for horizontal disposition, a miniature figure having a movable arm member, means securing said figure on said base member for forward and backward reciprocatory movement with respect thereto, a horizontal drum carried by said figure in the region of the shoulder and op erably connected to the arm, a flexible cord-like member having an anchored end, the other end of said flexible cord-like member being wound about the drum, a motor mounted on said base member, means actuated by the motor shaft for exerting limited pulling movement upon said flexible cord-like member, and means independent of said last-named means for moving said miniature figure in a direction to slacken the cord and render the cord-pulling means ineffective to move the arm member.

2. An animated toy such as claimed in claim 1, including a simulated striking instrumentality such as a hammer carried by said arm member.

3. An animated toy railroad accessory for simulating the driving of rail spikes comprising a base adapted to be mounted alongside a toy railroad track, the base having horizontal guides at right angles to the track direction, a manikin reciprocably mounted in said guides for movement toward and away from the tracks, a solenoid for shifting the manikin back and forth relative to the tracks, the manikin having an arm member carrying a toy sledge and mounted for swinging movement about a shoulder axis, a pull cord connected to the arm mounting for raising the arm and sledge when the cord is pulled, a motor having means to alternately pull and release the cord when the manikin is near the track so that the arm is lifted and released to drop, the cord length being such that it is always slack when the manikin is in the other position so that the arm and sledge remain in the lower position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 731,825 Voorhees June 23, 1903 1,347,682 Coziarc July 27, 1920 1,390,816 Ruehl Sept. 13, 1921 1,410,408 Mack Mar. 21, 1922 1,674,588 Berger June 19, 1923 1,853,733 Lane Apr. 12, 1932 

